Broken
by MelodiousWatermelon
Summary: Everyone has demons, including the cruel spoiled brat of Paris, Chloé Bourgeois. Maybe being a bitch was her way of coping. Maybe she was just trying to love herself. No one really knew her. Except for Adrien, of course, until he showed up with his brand new girlfriend. No one understood her, until now. This is her story.
1. Chapter 1

I was once a happy child. I had everything I could ever want. I had my perfect family, my best friend, and my teddy bear. The world was an amazing place, and I loved every day. But I was young, naive, and blinded by my own innocence.

I was five years old when I watched my mother leave me. I stood there unable to fully comprehend what was happening. My mother's back was slowly moving away from me. "It's alright, Chloé. I'll be home soon." My mother said without turning around. Her white dress clung to her skin, framing her body perfectly. Butlers swirled around the helicopter landing pad, scurrying around with endless suitcases of clothes.

"Okay, Mommy," I whispered. I knew she didn't hear me. The helicopter roared to life, soaring into the great blue sky. I clutched my teddy bear to my chest, forcing back the tears. "Please come back, Mommy." Somewhere deep inside my cracked heart, I knew she wasn't coming back.

I was six years old. I called my mother every day, telling her about my day while holding a picture of her close to my chest. At first, she tolerated it, making time for a quick conversation before a meeting, skipping lunch with her colleagues in order to speak to me, or just picking up the phone in general. Then, she stopped picking up, claiming that she was too busy. "Go bother your father," She sighed before hanging up. I slowly pulled the phone from my ear, setting it on the dinner table. Her picture fell from my trembling hands. Horrible spastic sobs tore through my frail body as I screamed and wailed.

Why didn't she love me?

Am I not good enough?

Why?

_Why? _

**_Why?_**

I was seven when my cheerful and kind personality spiraled downhill. I tried as hard as I could to be like my mother, wearing sunglasses atop my head. But I just couldn't bring myself to be like her. She was cruel and harsh, belittling anyone who was lower than her on the social ladder. She told me to not talk to the homeless people on the street. She sneered at a fifty-year-old war veteran with a missing leg, "They're all just fakes." I wasn't like her because I had sympathy when I was younger. I sneaked the veteran a couple of euros when my mother's back was turned. I would never forget the grateful smile that had appeared upon his lips.

It wasn't in my nature to be mean. Adrien knew that, and he stayed by my side when my dad had to go to work. He made me laugh, smile, and he shared his mom with me. His mother became my mother. She played dress up with me, took me and Adrien out for ice cream, she taught me how to sew, yet there was an ugly ungrateful part of me that wished that she was my actual mother. However, no matter how much I desperately tried to hate Adrien for the perfect life he was living, I couldn't. He was my best friend. He was like my brother, and I never wanted his beautiful smile to disappear from his face. Even if the cost was my own happiness.

When I turned eight, the blinding innocence was ripped from my eyes. I watched my mother appear on my T.V. She grinned as she made her way down the catwalk. Blowing kisses to the crowd, she accepted an arm full of bouquets. My father rushed over, turning off the T.V. He kneeled in front of me, "Princess, she'll come back."

Anger surged through my veins, "She's not coming back and she never will! Stop lying to me! There's no point!" I stormed away, slamming my bedroom door shut before slumping against it. I collapsed into another round of sobs. My mother was not coming back. Suddenly, Adrien's mother, Emilie, couldn't stop the pain anymore. After all, nothing hurts more than the wound of a mother leaving willingly. Emilie had tried her best to cheer me up, but it wasn't enough. Rage consumed my broken heart, encasing it a shield of stone. Anger is poisonous. It slowly kills the kindness in your soul, purging it of anything rational, and turns you into a hollow shell of what you once were. Then depression sinks its vicious claws into that empty shell, devouring whatever is left, leaving no room for hope.

My father managed to slow that process, showering me with expensive gifts, slowing the raging flames of anger in my soul. I changed into a spoiled child, desperate for attention, and I began to turn into a mirror image of my mother. But that was what I wanted. Right?

Somehow my anger changed direction and began to target the people around me. I put on makeup, trying to make myself look as elegant as my mother. I lashed out at the "peasants" that went to school with me. I spent the next few years catering to the inferno in my soul.

There was only one day when the fire died down. The day Emilie Agreste disappeared. And on that day the stunning smile that was always on Adrien's lips disappeared. I relied on that smile. It was the only thing that stopped the flames from burning me up completely. I stared up at the storm clouds that had gathered in the sky above. "You know she didn't leave willingly. She loves you, and she'll keep loving you no matter where she is. That is the most valuable thing that you'll ever get. A mother's undying love." I whispered to him. I pulled him into my arms and let him dissolve into a sobbing mess. Soon, my own silent tears joined his, blending in with the rain. I remembered all the times his mother had comforted me. The days where she was by my side doing things that she should be doing with her son. She would always bring a smile to my lips, through the tears, the rage, and the emptiness. I didn't lose one mother. I lost two.

The flames came back with a vengeance after that day. I couldn't understand why the person that deserved more than all of us had to go.

The rage got even worse when Marinette got involved. She loved Adrien. I could see it in her eyes every time she looked at him. I don't know why I hated it so much. Maybe it was because I knew she could make him even happier than me. But he was my best friend. I couldn't let go of him. He was the only thing keeping me alive. I just couldn't take it.

Then Pollen was introduced into my life, and she gave me a chance to escape the violent flames. She was the best thing that fell down into the dark hole that was my life. I wished that I could've spent more time with her.

A series of battles occurred that brought my mother back to Paris. The bubbling rage in my soul told me that I hated her. So I believed it. It doesn't mean that I didn't love her.

I did.

Now, I don't.

It was Mother's Day. My mother had not woken up even though it was already noon. I brought a tray of food to my mother's bedroom for breakfast/lunch in bed. A rare genuine smile graced my lips as I pushed the door open.

The tray dropped from my hands clattering noisily to the ground. My mother was naked in the bed with another man that was definitely not my father. They were tangled scandalously in the sheets. I backed away in shock as the man began to stir. I ran. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't want to be anywhere near there. I had boasted to everyone in my class that I was going to spend the entire day with my extraordinary mother. They had merely ignored me and continued to plan their own special Mother's Day party. I wasn't invited of course.

Yet, at that moment the fires in my soul immediately extinguished. I felt so numb. My feet automatically carried me to the location of the party. The crowd went silent as I stumbled into the room. I felt their stares on my back as I slowly walked over to a dark corner of the room and curled up into a ball. The silence continued for a while longer before erupting into conversation again. They sneaked a few glances at me, gossiping about what could've happened. I sat there, feeling absolutely nothing, watching the party go on. Then the crowd crescendos as Adrien and Marinette walked into the room, holding hands. Marinette turned beet red as Adrien leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips. Marinette's mother took thousands of pictures, practically fainting from joy. The stone shield around my heart shattered. My happiness in exchange for Adrien's. Isn't that what I always wanted?

It was Adrien's turn to shy away when Marinette returned the kiss in the middle of a group picture. The perfect couple. I forced a smile onto my face. Brushing off my clothes, I stepped out of the shadows. My plastered grin seemed to falter in the glares of my classmates. And when I turned to look at the happy couple, I felt my smile fade. I tried my best to keep my lips curled upward, "Congrats!" The burning sensation of oncoming tears pricked my eyes. I embraced Adrien, whispering something in his ear. "Thank you, for everything." My classmates were in shock as I hugged Marinette too, "Take good care of him for me. Alright?" A genuine smile managed to worm itself onto my lips. I stared at Adrien with happy tears streaking down my face. He was happy. I slipped past them towards the exit.

The warm spring air wrapped around me. Thunder roared from the sky above. The slow pitter-patter of rain hitting the ground calmed my scrambled thoughts. A purple butterfly flapped towards me. It's violet wings gracefully maneuvering through the air. I smiled sadly. Not today. I wasn't going to cause even more problems. I just wanted it all to stop. Rain blurred my vision as I sprinted down the street. My foot slipped on a puddle and time to slow as I tipped forward. Pain erupted from my palms as I scraped them across the concrete to catch the weight of my body. Groaning, I flipped around to lay on my back only to see the seemingly innocent purple butterfly inches from my jacket. I scrambled away, reaching for a broken twig on the ground. I threw the stick at the butterfly before bolting. I sprung into action, racing through the streets till I got to the bridge. The butterfly was right behind me, following my every move. I grinned, taking one last look at the stunning view of Paris. My muddy rain-soaked clothes clung to my body uncomfortably. I shivered as a gust of wind pelted even more rain into my face. My blonde hair had fallen out of its usual ponytail and had plastered itself to my face. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before jumping down to the dark depths below. Tears leaked from my closed eyes. The cold harsh wind rushed through my hair.

Goodbye.

A hand latched around my wrist, "NO!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Let go!" I screeched, struggling to free myself from his grasp.

"Think happy thoughts," The redhead chanted under his breath. He gripped my wrist with both hands, hanging on to me for dear life. And he wasn't even the one who jumped. The purple butterfly circled overhead menacingly. He was slowly losing his grip on me. As I began to slip perilously from his grasp, he lunged forward to grab my golden jacket. His entire torso was leaning dangerously over the railing now.

"NATHANIEL KURTZBERG! Let go of me, you imbecile! Do you have a death wish?!" I screamed desperately. "Please!" I begged as the rain began to pick up again. Thunder boomed in the distance, gusts of wind sent my wet hair flying painfully into my cheeks, yet the bothersome redhead refused to release his hold on me. I felt my beloved sunglasses shift from my blonde locks. I tilted my head downwards just in time to see the accessory fall into the dark swirling river below.

He began to tremble, and I wasn't sure whether it was from the cold or the strain of holding my weight. The violet butterfly battled against the violent tempest to navigate precariously close to my jacket.

I eyed the butterfly nervously, "Nathaniel, I swear to god if you don't let go this instant I will personally expel you from Dupont."

"Shut up."

I almost laughed at how ridiculous those two words were. I was trying to save his ass from being dragged down with me and he's telling me to shut up? "Excuse me?"

"I told you to shut up and think happy thoughts." He growled through gritted teeth. I have no idea how the hell he was hanging onto me and not falling off the bridge at the same time. The fabric of my jacket started to tear. The butterfly was deterred by an incoming gust of wind.

"Nath, just give up already. My arm hurts like hell, my mom's cheating on my father, no one in this city likes me, I'm a useless piece of shit, and I just want to end it. So, Nath, please just let go." I was crying like a damn baby and my voice cracked more than it should. "Nath, please."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" His voice rang out, crescendoing among the empty Paris streets. The rain slowed to a light shower. He was breathing hard, and his tomato red hair was plastered to his forehead. He raised his head.

I let out a soft gasp as one of his tears dripped down his face on to mine. "Nath?"

"It's not your fault, okay?" He whispered. "I forgive you and I'm sure everyone else will too. No one hates you. I know whatever mask you put on every day isn't your true self. So, just be yourself Chloé." I stared into his warm sky blue eyes, absolutely stunned by the amount of concern and fear clouding his irises.

"There they are!" Someone shouted from behind Nathaniel. Hands of all shapes and colors reached down and began to pull me upwards. My classmates. The very ones I tortured every day came down from their perfect little party to help me. Me. Chloé Bourgeois. They shouldn't be helping me.

A blanket was thrown around my shoulders. I rested my chin on my knees and wrapped my hands around my legs. I stared numbly off into the distance. "Chlo," Adrien whispered while kneeling down, "Wanna stay over tonight? It'll be like the old times again."

I wanted to lash out at him, push him away, scream, throw a tantrum, but I couldn't. I didn't feel the comforting burn of rage that always churned beneath my skin. I didn't feel the anger. Or anything else.

Another round of silent tears leaked down my cheeks. I nodded emotionlessly at Adrien, and he reached over to give me a hug. I buried my face in his neck, letting myself release the flood gates upon his shoulder. Hysterical sobs wracked my body as I screamed into his jacket. He picked me off the ground and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He whispered soothing words into my hair as Marinette squeezed my shoulder comfortingly.

He sat me down in his limousine, holding my hand as we swiftly drove to his mansion.

I watched the raindrops, trailing down the tinted windows. I let out a shaky sigh, thinking about the words the redhead had told me on the bridge.

The remains of my cracked mask shattered into unrecognizable pieces. "Adrien?" I said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriel Agreste was surprised, to say the least. He was working on a new tunic design for his Spring Show when he had felt it. An enormous amount of negative energy overwhelmed his senses, and he was suddenly transported into the Mayor's hotel. He watched attentively as Chloé Bourgeois gleefully made her way to a hotel room, carrying a delicious breakfast on a silver tray. She opened the bedroom door, dropping the tray as she gaped at the sight of her mother with another man.

A flare of anger erupted within Chloé before dying down to a cool numbness that could easily be twisted into sorrow. Yet, Chloé was one step ahead of him. Hawk Moth didn't say a word, but the girl still tumbled down the long dark hole that was called "Depression".

When the vision had passed, Gabriel was in shock. Chloé wasn't the nicest girl, but he definitely didn't want her to die. He remembered how sweet she was when Emilie was still around. She rarely went home and practically lived in the mansion. Once, Chloé snuck into his office because Adrien was shopping with Emilie and she was bored out of her mind. Gabriel was planning the theme of his Autumn Show when a blonde haired seven-year-old climbed onto his lap.

Needless to say, Gabriel was livid at the child for interrupting his train of thought. However, his anger was quickly extinguished by the adorable expression that had appeared on Chloé's face. She had wrinkled her nose in mild disgust at the neatly organized plans for the Autumn Show. "Ribbons are so overrated," She glanced up at Gabriel while making herself comfortable on his lap. "Use leaves instead." He stared at the child, utterly stunned by her ingenious comment.

"Maybe we will," He replied, watching the little girl scan the page for other things to improve.

"Ew, don't use brown eyeshadow with an orange outfit. Use blue instead. The runway should be brown, so it can mimic a dirt road. You could even scatter some real autumn leaves on." She flipped through the numerous outfits, "All your clothes include some kind of boot or sneaker anyway."

Gabriel observed the child proudly as if she was his own daughter. He made corrections to his plans while Chloé continued to look over the outfit designs. After they finished revising the fashion show, Gabriel brought her to a fabric store and watched as Chloé joyfully ran among the different colored silks, critiquing them with the refined language of seven-year-old. And Gabriel had loved every second of it.

Nevertheless, the two grew more distant as the years went on. Emilie's death is what really caused the break in their family-like relationship. But no matter how cold-hearted Gabriel Agreste had let himself become, he held a soft spot for the blonde haired girl. And he certainly didn't want her to die.

Immediately after the vision ended, Gabriel scrambled to get to his lair. He transformed into Hawk Moth before Nooroo could utter a word. He knew he couldn't stop her from jumping, but he sure as hell can slow her down. He held his breath as his akuma battled the sharp winds of the brewing storm towards Chloé. Frustration and anticipation bubbled within him when Chloé continuously dodged his purple butterfly.

As she got closer and closer to the bridge, Hawk Moth felt dread overtake his emotions. He watched as her blonde hair flew freely in the wind before streaming downwards as she tips over the railing of the bridge. "NO!" He shouted. His voice echoed throughout the spacious lair and the mansion.

However, he wasn't the only one who had shouted. He let out a sigh of relief as a red-haired boy grabbed Chloé just before she could fall to her death. He released his transformation with his heart still pounding out of his chest. "Are you alright, Master?" Nooroo asked cautiously.

Gabriel waited for his pulse to calm down before saying, "Yes." He turned to his kwami, "Thank you for asking." Then he blinked. He slowly processed the words that had left his mouth. He was never this kind to his kwami, but Nooroo had caught him in a vulnerable moment.

Nooroo glanced at Gabriel strangely, wondering if the words were some kind of trap. Yet, the utter concern for the blonde girl that had clouded Gabriel's mind just a few moments ago, had proved to Nooroo that there was still hope. He had goodness in his heart. All he needed was someone to bring it out.

* * *

Nathaniel Kurtzberg was known as the shy artist in the back. He was never outspoken or bold. He liked to stay quiet and observant. He noticed every little detail about his class and liked to share his findings with Ivan and Mylene. Thus, there was no doubt that Nathaniel was beyond suspicious when Chloé unobtrusively entered their Mother's Day party without her mother. He was sure there was something wrong with the girl when she just sat in the corner of the room. Not on a chair or a table, she sat on the floor. If it were anyone else, Nathaniel would've just ignored it, thinking that they had a bad day and required some time alone. But this was Chloé. The girl would screech about how dirty classroom seats were and demand that someone wipe the seat before she sat down. Yet, that same girl had just sat down on the ground.

Bewildered, Nathaniel cautiously inched his way over to Chloé but was quickly halted by his mother. Nathaniel's mother pointed excitedly at the new couple that had just walked through the entrance. He felt a quick sting of regret before it was erased by happiness for the couple. In the corner of his eye, he saw Chloé move from her position in the corner. He watched as she hugged Marinette and Adrien. Then she left. The room went silent with shock as everyone tried to process the previous events. Finally, Nathaniel calmly made his way through the crowd to go after her.

When he stepped outside, he caught sight of blonde hair whipping around a corner followed by a streak of purple. Nathaniel's eyes widened as he realized that it was an akuma. He immediately sprang into action, racing after Chloé. He sprinted down the Paris streets, catching sight of the golden-haired girl fleeing from a purple butterfly. Nathaniel nearly had a heart attack when he chased Chloé all the way to the bridge.

He willed his legs to move faster as Chloé leaned over the railing. In one last desperate attempt to save her life, he threw himself at the railing, surging over the edge and managed to grab her wrist. He didn't even realize he had said anything until Chloé started to respond. Looking down at Chloé, he began to see her in a new light. Nathaniel stared at her petite figure swaying with the wind. There was no hostility in her eyes. Instead, there was sorrow and years of unspoken pain.

Her cruel facade had dropped to reveal something unexpected. She was so relentlessly wicked it was almost impossible to imagine her as anything but a spoiled brat. Yet, under that carefully preserved mask, there was a girl scarred emotionally beyond repair.

Maybe we were wrong about Chloé Bourgeois.

Maybe she's just like all of us.

Just a little broken.


	4. Author's Note & Random Fun Facts

Hi! I'm Melodious, the author of this story, and I'd like to thank you all for reading it. I wrote this for fun and didn't think anyone would read it. Instead, this story got 80 views in like a day. I was shocked. Also, thank you HeredemAquam and KittyKatDancer for reviewing the day after the story was published. This story was supposed to be a oneshot, but I forgot to change the story from incomplete to complete. And you guys were waiting for the next chapters, so I was like why the fuck not.

Fun Facts:

-I wasn't going to reveal who saved Chloé cuz I wanted to be a cheeky bastard. But in the end, I let Nathaniel save her because I ship it.

-I added the bit about Gabriel Agreste cuz I wanted to make him seem more human. The show kind of made him seem like he was an unemotional, delusional, psycho who only cared about his dead wife.

-This story was inspired by the song _Scars To Your Beautiful _by Alessia Cara.

-that's it.

BYE...ヽ(･∀･)ﾉ


End file.
